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September 25, 2012/Denver, CO – Golden Retriever owners across the country are invited to apply to participate in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, the largest and longest observational study ever undertaken to improve the health of dogs. Morris Animal Foundation, the nonprofit organization running the study, will enroll 3,000 Golden Retrievers over the next two years. To qualify, dogs must be under 2 years of age and in good health. Owners can register their dogs at www.CanineLifetimeHealth.org.

Dogs accepted into the study will participate for their entire lives, and during that time, owners and veterinarians will provide health, nutritional and environmental information about the dogs. This observational information will help scientists identify ways to better prevent cancer and other diseases in Golden Retrievers. The information learned from these dogs is also expected to improve the health of all dog breeds.

“This study requires a long-term commitment from dog owners and their veterinarians,” said Michael Guy, DVM, MS, PhD study director. “We have the potential to learn valuable information that will not only improve canine health but will also significantly advance the entire field of veterinary medicine.”

“We have lost two out of six Golden Retrievers to various types of cancer,” said Valerie Robson and Greg Vowels, whose young dog Astro will participate in the study. “The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study gives us the opportunity to be proactive. We want to ensure future generations of dogs will have a fighting chance against cancer. As a family, we are so pleased that Morris Animal Foundation has taken on this study and continues to be at the forefront of prevention, treatment breakthroughs and possible cures for cancer.”

The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is the first study in the overarching Canine Lifetime Health Project, a nationwide effort to fund groundbreaking studies that address prevention and treatment of canine diseases. Learn more about the study and join the Canine Lifetime Health Project at www.CanineLifetimeHealth.org.